Hodge to start at fly-half for Wallabies
Wallabies utility back Reece Hodge will start at fly-half against Japan in Yokohama on Saturday, after Bernard Foley was ruled out through illness.
Foley has been battling a virus all week and wasn’t able to train fully on Tuesday, before travelling to Japan, leaving the Wallabies to look for other options.
Hodge, who has featured in the playmaking spot in patches for the Melbourne Rebels, has not started at 10 in Super Rugby since last year but has been discussed as a third-choice 10 for the Wallabies, having trained there at times this season.
The 23-year-old has played on the wing and in the centres for the Wallabies, but never taken the fly-half reins in a Test.
Kurtley Beale was considered the second-choice for the Wallabies in that 10 spot, but he is being shifted to full-back, with Foley’s just the beginning of the injury concerns for the Wallabies.
Scrum-half Will Genia (calf) and utility back Karmichael Hunt (neck) are also out of the match, with Genia still struggling to shake off a concern picked up in the third Bledisloe Cup Test.
Hunt was caught up in an awkward tackle in Sydney at Tuesday’s training and hasn’t been able to overcome the issue in the days following.
Nick Phipps will start at scrum-half, while Joe Powell will have the chance to add to his two June Tests in Japan.
Hunt was expected to slot into Israel Folau’s full-back spot, but whether he is given a chance there will have to wait for the Wallabies’ second Test of the Spring Tour.
Australia’s reshuffle has opened the door for Samu Kerevi to come into the starting side at inside centre, combining with Tevita Kuridrani for the first time since last year’s England Series, while Henry Speight will replace Hodge on the wing.
Western Force lock Matt Philip is in line to make his Test debut, named on the bench ahead of Blake Enever, a reward for the form he has shown in training and through a superb Super Rugby and National Rugby Championship campaign.
His fellow Force forward Ben McCalman will play his first Test in 15 months, after battling shoulder and thumb injuries this season, and is set to rack up his 50th Test in the clash.
Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Samu Kerevi, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Reece Hodge, 9 Nic Phipps, 8 Sean McMahon, 7 Michael Hooper (c), 6 Ned Hanigan, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Scott Sio
Replacements: 16 Stephen Moore, 17 Tom Robertson, 18 Allan Alaalatoa, 19 Matt Philip, 20 Ben McCalman, 21 Lopeti Timani, 22 Joe Powell, 23 Curtis Rona
Date: Saturday, November 4
Venue: International Stadium, Yokohama
Kick-off: 14:40 local (05:40 GMT)
Referee: Nick Briant (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Mike Fraser (New Zealand), Tim Baker (Hong Kong)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)